Kalmyk breed of sheep: description and characteristics, rules of keeping

For hundreds of years, the Kalmyk breed of fat-tailed sheep has taken pride of place in the list of the most productive animals. High-quality cheeses are produced from the milk of obese beauties, and tender meat and fat-tailed fat of lambs have long been recognized by lovers of delicious food. Thanks to the rare simplicity of keeping pets, even a beginner can do it.

History of the breed

The history of the appearance of Kalmyk sheep in Russia dates back to the 17th century. These years were marked by the exodus of nomads from the territories of the western part of China and Mongolia. Under the leadership of Khan Ho-Orlyuk, the Kalmyks moved to the expanses of Russia.

Nomadic peoples have long been engaged in cattle breeding. Thanks to the Spartan conditions of winter keeping, free access to the best pastures and constant movement, the animals had endurance and strong immunity.

Fat Kalmyk rams and sheep were especially popular with livestock breeders. Local residents happily crossed their small ewes with powerful sire rams.

Despite the political upheavals in the history of the country, the peoples coexisted peacefully on the same territory. Kalmykia rightfully occupied the first place in the livestock industry. However, after the end of the Second World War, the Kalmyk autonomy was disbanded, and people were resettled to the lands of the Astrakhan region and Kazakhstan.

The new neighbors appreciated the productive qualities of the Kalmyk sheep, so they began to actively cross their curly pets with the newcomers. As a result of simple manipulations, 2 more unique breeds of fat-tailed sheep were born - Edilbaevskaya and Gissarskaya.

Main characteristics and description of the Kalmyk sheep

Knowing the main characteristics and description of the Kalmyk sheep, it is difficult to confuse the pet with representatives of other breeds. Sheep are endowed with pronounced distinctive features:

Pets have a truly grenadier growth. The growth of rams often exceeds 80 cm. Females are somewhat smaller.
The weight of the animals is quite consistent with the height. The mass of an adult ram is from 100 to 145 kg. The weight of the ewe depends on the season and ranges between 55-90 kg. Young pets gain weight gradually. Before reaching the age of 1.5 years, sheep gain weight equal to 45-50 kg.
Graceful, dry legs confidently hold the lamb's voluminous body. This combination gives the animal an unusual, graceful appearance. The limbs are set correctly, without flaws. The hind legs of the pet are protected by a fatty layer.
Powerful, sturdy lamb body resembles a perfect cylinder. Well-developed muscles and a straight, straight back of the animal are complemented by a wide sacrum. Chest deep.
The curly-haired handsome man has a small, neat head. The profile of the pet is decorated with a barely noticeable hump. The bulging cheeks and long, drooping ears give the animal a special charm.
Most pets are polled, only 15% of animals have small horns.
Kalmyk sheep are known as owners of thick, hard wool. Due to the rough structure, the wool of Kalmyk sheep is less valued than products obtained from pets of other breeds. From one sheep of the Kalmyk breed, no more than 5% of high-quality raw materials are obtained. Wool of the 2nd grade accounts for 25% of the total mass. The remaining 70% wool is classified as category 3.
The most common sheep are red and golden-beige. In some areas, white lambs predominate, with black markings on the head and legs. Individuals of pure white color are most valued.
The tail of a pet resembles an elastic pillow. Here is the fat sac, generously filled with fat. The dimensions of the natural container are 14-25 cm in height and 12-21 cm in width. The size of the fat tail directly depends on the degree of fatness of the handsome man. Depending on the fit of the fat bag on the body of a sheep, farmers distinguish between several types of fat tails: low, medium and high. In Kalmyk lambs, fat is located not only in the tail area. The nutrient layer covers the hind limbs of the animal, starting from the lumbar zone and ending with the lower hocks of the pet. The total mass of fat tail fat of each ram is 15-17 kg. To a greater extent, the stock is fattened by lambs. For breeding producers, the indicators are slightly more modest. Females produce more internal fat.

Pros and cons

The choice of breed for breeding depends on the personal preferences of the farmer and the availability of useful qualities in the animal. Given the pros and cons of the breed, you can count on the profitability of the economy.

Good qualities:

Strong immunity reliably protects pets from numerous ailments.
Stamina. Sheep inherited this quality from their legendary ancestors.
High rates of weight gain in pets. The weight of an adult ram easily overcomes the bar of 100 kg. Bogatyr weight and size of lambs differ from birth. The mass of a newborn lamb is 5 kg.
Productivity. Sheep serve as a reliable supplier of fat, meat, milk and wool. Fat tail fat obtained from Kalmyk sheep is a champion in taste and useful properties. The product is more tender than internal fat and melts already at a temperature of 40 degrees.
Sustainability. Walking on free grazing, pets disperse throughout the territory. In search of food, sheep eat only the upper leaves of plants. Thus, the pasture is not trampled down, and the vegetation remains unharmed.

Flaws:

Mediocre quality of pet hair.
Significant deterioration in meat taste and quality as sheep mature.

Maintenance and care requirements

A typical farm building is suitable for keeping pets. Koshara is insulated, not forgetting about the artificial or natural ventilation system. In the cold season, the optimum temperature in the room is from +7 to +10 degrees. Separate compartments are arranged for pregnant and recently given birth ewes. Here the air temperature is maintained in the range from +17 to +20 degrees.Sheep thrive in a dry, draft-free environment.

Pets are unpretentious, so the requirements for maintenance and care are as follows:

Annual inspection.
Scheduled vaccinations.
Hoof cutting (2 times a year).
Bathing (2-3 times during the warm season).
Haircut (2 times, spring and autumn).

How and what to feed?

In the summer, animals are pastured. A large mass of juicy grass provides the lambs with the necessary substances.

In winter, the daily diet of pets consists of 2 kg of fragrant hay, 700 g of special canned food and 1 kg of juicy, nutritious food.

Reproduction

Experienced breeders are mating in the last weeks of autumn. Yarochki reach maturity by 8-10 months and from that moment are ready for reproduction. The interval between estrus periods is 15-16 days. The duration of the favorable period for mating is 48 hours. A sheep bears offspring for 145 days. Usually the female brings 2-3 babies annually. In most cases, lambing passes without complications. A newborn lamb is cleaned of traces of mucus, but is not separated from its mother.

After a couple of hours after birth, the baby begins to walk confidently. After 2 days, the lamb joins the herd. For 6 weeks, the cub eats only mother's milk. During this period, the pet gains 500 g of weight daily. After 1.5 months, the lamb is accustomed to adult food.

The time of active lactation lasts 4 months. Sheep are reluctant to be milked. Animals try to retain milk, so during the procedure, the lambs are allowed closer to their mother. The fat content of evening milk is 10%, morning - 9.5%.

Breeding area

Sheep farms are successfully operating on the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia and Kazakhstan. Sometimes fat-tailed sheep can be seen on farms in the North Caucasus.

Diseases and their treatments

In rare cases, Kalmyk sheep are struck:

Cystitis. The disease begins with an infectious lesion of the udder. As a rule, the disease leads to inflammation of the bladder. A sick animal is transferred to light feed. Injections with antibiotics and plenty of fluids will help to cope with the disease.
Stomatitis. The sheep suffers from inflammation of the oral cavity. The affected areas are treated with hydrogen peroxide. Sheep are fed in a liquid or slimy consistency.
Timpania of the scar. The disease is expressed in a strong swelling of the gastrointestinal tract of the pet. Stopping the rumen can lead to the death of the sheep. Using a rubber tube, the animal is injected with Tympanol.